Budget & Taxes

Establishes the Wildfire Mitigation Working Group. Requires a report to the Legislature. Requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to provide administrative support to the working group. Appropriates funds. Revises the appropriations made by Act 302, SLH 2025. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Makes emergency appropriations for collective bargaining cost items for the members of bargaining units (1) and (10) and their excluded counterparts to resolve issues related to temporary hazard pay for fiscal year 2025-2026. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

PART I: Requires motor vehicles to have front number plate mounting brackets or devices and for sellers, licensed dealers, or owners to securely affix number plates to the vehicles. PART II: Amends the Traffic Code relating to street racing. PART III: Expands the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program to high-risk locations of state or county highways as determined by the Department of Transportation, under certain conditions. Appropriates moneys. PART IV: Authorizes the installation of a school bus infraction detection system on the exterior of a school bus. Establishes strict liability and the process for issuing summons or citations for drivers shown by the system to be in violation of certain school bus laws. Clarifies the liability of drivers near a school bus that is actively monitored by a school bus infraction detection system. Appropriates moneys. PART V: Specifies that the Department of Transportation's Motor Vehicle Safety Office shall administer the Photo Red Light Imaging Detector Systems Program Special Fund and Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program Special Fund. PART VI: Clarifies language relating to photo red light enforcement, automated speed enforcement, and penalty provisions. PART VII: Requires the Director of Transportation to adopt rules allowing for mobile vehicle safety inspections of passenger cars. Effective 7/1/3000; provided that part IV, except the rule-making directive and appropriation, effective 7/1/2028. (SD2)

Restructures the conveyance tax to a marginal rate system for the sale of properties with residential use, adjusts the tax for multifamily properties to reflect value on a per-unit basis, and applies a cost-of-living adjustment to conveyance tax rates. Allocates revenues from conveyance tax collections. Allocates a portion of conveyance tax collections to the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund to fund infrastructure programs in areas that meet minimum standards of transit-supportive density. Allocates a portion of conveyance tax revenues to the Hawaii Agricultural Development Revolving Fund, Special Land and Development Fund, and Hawaiian Home Lands Infrastructure and Housing Special Fund. Establishes and appropriates funds out of the Hawaiian Home Lands Infrastructure and Housing Special Fund. Authorizes the Hawaii Agricultural Development Revolving Fund to be used to acquire land. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

This resolution formally supports the Native Hawaiian Intellectual Property Working Group's request for additional resources and an extended timeline to complete its work during fiscal year 2026-2027. The Working Group, composed of representatives from various Native Hawaiian organizations, was established to develop solutions for protecting Native Hawaiian intellectual property from inappropriate appropriation. By approving this request, the legislature acknowledges the need for sufficient time to conduct culturally appropriate community consultations and ensure the group's recommendations reflect the collective views of Native Hawaiians.

This bill is a concurrent resolution that formally supports the Native Hawaiian Intellectual Property Working Group's request for additional funding and an extended timeline to complete its work through fiscal year 2026-2027. The resolution acknowledges the group's role in protecting Native Hawaiian cultural and traditional knowledge from misappropriation and recognizes the need for more time to conduct community consultations that reflect Native Hawaiian perspectives. By approving this request, the legislature affirms its commitment to honoring the state's constitutional duty to preserve Native Hawaiian rights and cultural assets. The measure does not create new laws or programs but serves as an official endorsement of the working group's operational needs.

This bill is a non-binding resolution that asks the U.S. Congress to provide financial relief to Hawaii households affected by higher prices caused by federal tariffs. It specifically targets families struggling with increased costs for food, fuel, and essential goods, with special attention to low-income residents and those on neighbor islands. The resolution urges Congress to create a rebate or refund program to offset these expenses and to address the constitutional concerns surrounding the tariff policies. It does not create any new laws or programs itself but serves as a formal recommendation to federal lawmakers.

This bill is a state-level resolution from Hawaii urging the U.S. Congress to provide taxpayer relief for households affected by tariff-related cost increases. It asks Congress to acknowledge the economic harm caused by federal tariff policies, particularly in Hawaii where residents face higher costs due to reliance on imported goods. The resolution requests that Congress consider enacting legislation to offer rebates or financial benefits to offset these increased expenses, with special attention to low-income families and neighbor island communities. It also calls for Congress to reaffirm its constitutional authority over taxation and trade to prevent similar economic impacts in the future.

Allows tax credits claimed under the State Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program to be used to offset taxes imposed by the state transient accommodations tax law. Specifies that tax credit amounts applied to state transient accommodations taxes be limited to state transient accommodations taxes imposed in the same county in which the qualified low-income building is located. Makes permanent Act 129, SLH 2016. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2027. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

HB 1733 increases the maximum bond amount authorized under the state's Hula Mae Multifamily Housing Program, allowing more funds to finance affordable rental housing statewide. This directly affects developers building or maintaining low-income housing projects and residents relying on these affordable units. The bill raises the funding ceiling to prevent the program from hitting current limits, ensuring continued support for housing affordability. It does not change eligibility rules but expands available capital for housing projects across the state.